Letters

In your April 10 issue, allegations were published that a private cemetery was neglected and being abused. Because of the reports of damage and desecration, the Shelby County Cemetery Preservation Board was contacted for comments.

Just in time for the 45th anniversary of Earth Day last month, the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee made it official: U.S. consumption of animal products is not environmentally sustainable at current levels.

Their conclusion matches those of a comprehensive 2010 United Nations finding that a global shift towards a vegan diet is vital to save the world from hunger, fuel poverty and climate change.

I am writing to support the restaurant tax that is currently before the Shelbyville City Council. Having served as Mayor [of Shelbyville], I know how difficult it is to vote for a tax. There is no perfect tax. We passed the occupational tax back many years ago after federal revenue sharing was eliminated and over a third of our budget disappeared overnight.

With April Fools' Day just around the corner, it appears that the meat, egg, and dairy industries have been playing us for fools all year-round. Their more remarkable hoaxes include “California's happy cows,” “Free-range chickens,” “Humane slaughter.” All lies.

The U.S. Advisory Panel on Dietary Guidelines has finally mustered the courage to recommend that Americans eat less meat and dairy products. And not just to lower our risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity, but also because it slows the rate of climate changes, with its own devastating consequences.

As a new year starts to unfold, Friends of Grove Hill look back on what was an exceptional year of accomplishments thanks to the many who have supported events and causes of Grove Hill Cemetery. We are thankful for people who rolled up their sleeves and rolled out their checkbooks to make this a year of milestone achievements.